


Don't Rock the Boat

by Faithful_Sigyn



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Could be read as shipped but showcases their friendship, Gen, Humorous, Just Chilling, Out on a boat, Stress Relief, They've earned some down-time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-11-17 11:20:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11274381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faithful_Sigyn/pseuds/Faithful_Sigyn
Summary: On a long deserved break from work, Edward reluctantly accepts Oswald's idea of hiring a boat and just spending the day relaxing in it. Not everyone out on the water cares about their peace and quiet though.





	Don't Rock the Boat

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt by otp-imagines-cult on Tumblr (re-posted from my blog, thepuzzlepirate):  
> Imagine your OTP on a boat out in the middle of a nice, calm lake. That is, until a rude watercraft driver drives by and splashes them. 
> 
> Written as a friendship piece, but there's no reason you can't see them as shipped in this too if you like ^_^ .

Edward still wasn’t completely sure why he’d agreed to come out on this little expedition in this first place, or if he had ever actually agreed at all and had not simply been forced out here against his will. But he had to admit, there were moments at least when the peace and quiet of their surroundings could actually feel mildly… pleasant.

He normally hated this sort of thing, always keen to have his hands busy on some form of project or puzzle or just _something_ to keep his hectic mind engaged at all times. But apparently that hadn’t been a good enough argument for Oswald, who had simply grabbed the book Ed had been most recently perusing through, shoved it into his hand and pushed him out of the door. He’d tried several other excuses and arguments on the way too but Oswald hadn’t even looked like he was listening to most of it. And though it had apparently taken him that long to notice the subtle shift in his friend’s demeanour, Ed had eventually let the subject drop. This wasn’t about him (apparently, though that was a hard concept to accept sometimes). This was about Oswald. And the tired bird had been under a lot of pressure recently. It was only fair he let him have this one little outing if it would make him feel better. 

And the man did seem somewhat more relaxed already. Oswald was sat opposite him on the other side of the stupid boat they'd rented for the day, mostly looking out into the distance towards the bank of the lake with a thoughtful expression, but occasionally glancing down at the newspaper he’d brought along with him. He was yet to turn the page though, so either that first article was particularly thrilling, or he wasn’t actually reading it. And since Ed distinctly remembered the main headline being about a new shopping centre opening somewhere in the classier corners of Gotham, it was unlikely to be the former.

Either way, he didn’t want to talk, so Ed would just wait quietly until anything more than his mere company was actually needed. He knew Oswald well enough to know when a stretch of silence between them was all that was necessary. And he would have happily maintained the silence for… well, at least a few minutes longer, had they not at that moment been rudely interrupted by some simpleton on a motorboat.

Ed was well aware he was not an expert in the etiquette of watercraft driving, but he was fairly certain it was not appropriate to whizz by quite so close to another boat so that the inhabitant had to desperately attempt to protect the book in his hands from the torrent of water that had rushed over the side of their own vessel at the proximity. But he really only had a moment to dwell on that, before realising that the way he had lurched forwards away from the icy cold that had splashed all up his back, had been enough to unbalance the boat, and therefore himself with it.

The yelp had Oswald’s attention shifting fully back towards his friend, but Edward was already past the point of no return then, and a loud splashing sound soon announced that the taller man had landed firmly in the no longer quite so still water. Both eyebrows raised slightly at this surprising turn of events, before he offered out a confused, **“Edward? Are you alright?”**

 **“No I am not!”** the now thoroughly drenched man spluttered out in response in an immensely childish tone once he had successfully resurfaced. As soon as his arms were above the water again, he immediately grabbed on to the side of the boat for support just in time to see Oswald finally realise the amusement of the situation and let out a chuckle at the grumpy look fixed to Edward’s face.

**“If you’d fancied a swim, you could have just said something.”**

**“This is _not funny_ Oswald!”**

**“On the contrary, it’s hilarious.”**

The noise of frustration Edward let out in response would have been far more fitting coming from a teenage girl, and Oswald let out another snicker in response. It didn’t help that while trying to pull himself back into the boat, Ed’s grip had slipped and he’d fallen back shoulder-deep into the water, bobbing about like a green buoy in the centre of the quiet lake. Whoever it was who had first disturbed his peace was long gone now; luckily really, because Ed would have quite appreciated the chance for a spot of revenge against them for their ineptitude. But there was someone else far closer who he could get his frustration out on now at least.

**“You could stop laughing and help me back up you know.”**

**“I could, yes… But you look like you’re having so much fun down there.”**

Apparently that had been just what Ed wanted to hear, because his tone took on enough of an amused tint at that to earn a small frown from the ither man. **“Oh really? In which case, I think you’re forgetting something very important here Oswald.”**

**“Oh, and what might that be?”**

**“Penguins like swimming too.”** There was a moment’s pause where the wicked grin could be seen clearly on Ed’s dripping face, before he grabbed for his friend’s arm and yanked him sideways over the edge of the boat and into the water beside him.

The squeal from Oswald was enough to have Ed in peals of laughter, especially since the man seemed more bothered about the well-being of his suit than of himself, and he was soon glaring back at his friend as he reached for the side of the boat for support.

But it didn’t last long, no anger behind the expression to keep it in place when he saw Ed grinning down at him from behind droplet spattered glasses, the right arm of which had managed to gain the added accessory of a wet leaf since Oz had joined him. So perhaps it was a _little_ amusing.

**“… You’re lucky I brought a change of clothes or there’d be repercussions for this.”**

**“Of course you did, ever the prepared one.”**

**“Oh, just for me of course. You’re walking home like that.”**

**“Wait, walking?”**

**“You really think I’m letting you in my car if you’re all dripping wet? Don’t worry Ed, I can spot you some bus fare if you need it.”**

**“You’re kidding, right?”**

A smirk was the only answer Ed got to that, and it was more than enough to set off the glimmer of panic in his eyes at the mere suggestion that he would have to squelch home sopping wet with all the _ordinary_ people. The frantic outrage that followed was enough to split the smirk on the smaller man's face into a proper smile, and Oswald found himself laughing out half of the tension he’d been holding in his shoulders for far too long now.

This really had been a good idea for a stress-reliever.


End file.
